module specification

 - To enable students to integrate and apply the skills and knowledge base underpinning their public health education in a sustained piece of independent academic work (practice-based project).                                                                
- To develop students capacity to identify contemporary public health issues and to propose strategies of service improvement as a result of independent learning from different sources and experiences.
- To provide learning opportunities that support the public health role within the context of the social determinants of health i.e. to improve priority public health conditions and reduce health inequalities.  
- To help students develop research and evaluative skills to support an evidence-based approach to their Public Health practice.

Reflective practice
Identifying local health needs
Exploring practice contexts
Exploring public health & health promotion strategies
Using public health methods
Proposing and planning a practice-based project
Recognising ethical challenges
Gathering, interpreting and managing information
Working with feedback
Approaches to stakeholder analysis
Writing and re-writing
Producing a complete practice-based project All LO1-LO5

The teaching and learning strategy of the module emphasises self-directed study and online distance learning. A variety of teaching and learning strategies will be employed with opportunities to:
- Engage in guided text-based learning activity
- Engage in online class discussion (discussion forum)
- Reflect on practice, recognising, valuing and utilising practice as a learning resource
- Listen to podcasts and video-recorded sessions
- Experience Seminar presentations using Collaborate (or other real-time virtual classroom software)
- Access support and guidance from a supervisor;
- Engage in Chatroom activity
- Work independently in developing their practice-based project

Students will prepare for online sessions and discussions by completing the self-directed learning activities and by participating and contributing to online discussions (enquiry and problem-based learning) designed to facilitate understanding of theory. They will reflect upon their personal development (reflective log) and practice with peers and lecturers, working in online groups to consider strategies for service improvement. They will be supported in the enhancement of self-awareness and personal/professional growth through the use of strategies that include reflective practice and critical thinking.

1. Identify and define an appropriate public health topic for study within the area of practice.
2. Select appropriate methods of study and approaches to analysis, justifying the research methodology. 
3. Critically evaluate the application of evidence and theories to justify a proposal for service improvement in an area of practice.
4. Produce a fluent and accurately written project for a specific practice context, demonstrating critical-thinking and awareness of current public health issues in relation to the proposed service improvement.                 
5. Critically debate public health issues, practice and policy through engagement in online learning activities, and becoming an active member of the online community.

The purpose of the formative and summative assessments is to give students an opportunity to develop and demonstrate their knowledge and skills as well as their critical and reflective analysis. The assessments will also provide students with the opportunity to develop transferable skills that will prove valuable to them in their future career.
Students’ achievement of the learning outcomes will include a range of formative and summative exercises and tasks including:

- A Practice-Based Public Health Profile and Strategy (2500 words) 25% (LO1, 3) (summative assessment)
- Project outline draft to supervisor (formative assessment)
- Online group activities – contributions to forum discussion (performance) 25% (LO5) (summative assessment)
- Chapter/section drafts to supervisor (formative assessment)
- Practice-based project (6000 words) based on a public health issue within the student’s area of practice or interest 50% (LO1,2,3,4) (summative assessment)

Core reading:

Baggott, R. (2013) Partnerships for public health and well-being: policy and practice. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Brownson, R et al. (2011) Evidence-based public health. 2nd ed.  Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press.
Department of Health (2010) Healthy Lives, Healthy People: Our strategy for public health in England. London: The Stationery Office for HMG. 
Derose, K., Gresenz, C. and Ringel, J. (2011). ‘Understanding disparities in health care access -and reducing them-through a focus on Public Health’, Health Affairs, 30 (10):1844-1851. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2011.0644
DiClemente, Salazar, Crosby (2013) Health Behavior Theory for Public Health: Principles, foundations, and applications Imprint Burlington, MA: Jones and Bartlett Learning. (on campus Library)
Gillam, S., Yates, J. and Badrinath, P. (eds) (2012) Essential public health: theory and practice. 2nd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Gottwald, M and Goodman-Brown, J. (2012) A guide to practical health promotion. Maidenhead: Open University Press.
Guest, G and Namey, E. (eds) (2015) Public health research methods. Thousand Oaks, California; London: SAGE
Guest, C et al. (2013) Oxford handbook of public health practice. 3rd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press (e-book).
Jones, L. and Douglas, J. (eds) (2012) Public health: building innovative practice. London; Milton Keynes: SAGE - The Open University.
Lorenc, T. et al. (2012) ‘What types of interventions generate inequalities? Evidence from systematic reviews’, Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health,   doi:10.1136/jech-2012-201257.
Marmot, M. (2010) Fair society, healthy lives. The Marmot review. Available at: http://www.instituteofhealthequity.org/.
Moule, P. (2018). Making sense of research in nursing, health and social care.
Naidoo, J. and Wills, J. (2010) Developing practice for public health and health promotion. 3rd ed. Edinburgh: Baillière Tindall/Elsevier (e-book).
Nuffield Council on Bioethics (2007) Public Health: Ethical Issues. Available at: http://nuffieldbioethics.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Public-health-ethical-issues.pdf
Schmeer, K. (1999). Guidelines for Conducting a Stakeholder Analysis. Bethesda, MD: Partnerships for Health Reform, Abt Associates Inc. Available at: http://www.who.int/management/partnerships/overall/GuidelinesConductingStakeholderAnalysis.pdf.
Sim, F. and Wright, J. (2015) Working in Public Health: An introduction to careers in Public Health. Oxon & New York, Routledge. Printed book at London Met.
South, J., White, J and Gamsu, M. (2013) People-centred public health. Bristol: Policy Press.
Thompson, S. (2014) The essential guide to public health and health promotion.  London: Routledge.
Thornbory, G. (ed.) (2009) Public health nursing: a textbook for health visitors, school nurses and occupational health nurses. West Sussex; Iowa: Wiley-Blackwell.
Thorogood, M. and Coombes, Y. (eds) (2010) Evaluating health promotion: practice and methods. 3rd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press

Additional reading:

BMA (2012) ‘Behaviour change, public health and the role of the state – BMA Position Statement’. Available from: http://www.bma.org.uk/working-for-change/improving-and-protecting-health/behaviour-change
Department of Health (2016) The Public Health Outcomes Framework for England, 2016-2019.
Kelly, M. and Barker, M. (2016) ‘Why is changing health-related behaviour so difficult?’ Public Health, 136: 109 e116. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2016.03.030
Kelly, M. et al (2017) ‘Evidence-based medicine meets democracy: the role of evidence-based public health guidelines in local government’,  Journal of Public Health, https://doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/fdx002
PHE (2017) ‘Wider Determinants of Health’. Available from: https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile/wider-determinants
Quigley, M (2013) ‘Nudging for health: on public policy and designing choice architecture’, 
Med Law Rev, 21 (4):588-621. https://doi.org/10.1093/medlaw/fwt022

Journals
BMC Public Health
Critical Public Health
Health Education
Journal of Public Health
Journal of Public Health Policy
Perspectives in Public Health
Public Health
Public Health Nursing

Useful websites:
Department of Health. Statistics at the Department of Health: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-of-health/about/statistics
National Policy Institute: London’s Poverty Profiles. https://www.npi.org.uk/publications/income-and-poverty/londons-poverty-profile-2017/
NHS Health Careers. Link to resources https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/
Public Health England: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/public-health-england
UCL Institute of Health Equity: http://www.instituteofhealthequity.org/